Should Chrsitians Date Non-Christians ?

This is by far the topic that I am asked about most often. It is the most searched for question on my site. Hardly a day goes by where someone, in one way or another does not ask this question “As a Christian should I go out with (date) someone who is not a Christian“

Where shall I start. Well for those of you who want to listen to a talk I did that covers this subject then you can listen or download for free by selecting on of these links.

It is a very controversial subject and one that is hard to get in to a simple blog page. So I have prepared a small paper on the subject which you might find helpful. You can download it here

Miracles, Healing & the Supernatural

If you’re not a reader then why not download this as a FREE MP3 for your iPod, or listen on line for free here.

I have, over recent weeks been very excited by an increase in people becoming Christians in our church. We are regularly seeing healing and people testifying to the power of God operating in their lives. I recently spoke on this explaining to people that we can expect God to move in power and encouraged them to pray so we might see more and more of the Holy Spirit demonstrating the Power of God in Signs and Wonders. 

If you want to listen there is a FREE MP3 for your iPod, or you can listen on line for free here.

 

Sir Cliff’s says ‘Gone are the days when we assumed loving relationships would be solely between men and women’

 

I can not begin to express the sadness I feel regarding Cliff Richards comments regarding Gay Marriage being blessed by the church.

I have long admired Sir Cliff for the courageous stand he has taken over his Christianity right from his conversion. Whilst I could not call myself a fan of his music, I have always thought that he held his faith in Jesus in the highest regard, and put aside the pressures placed on him by the media to get married or in deed over his sexuality.

It has come as a great surprise to me therefore to read articles in the Times and the Independent who both say that Sir Cliff has asked the church to accept and bless same sex relationships. 

Read Article

This paragraph seems to sum up the essence of what was said.

He calls on the Church of England to update its views on same-sex marriages, arguing that all judgements on sexuality should be left to God. “I think the Church must come round and see people as they are now. Gone are the days when we assumed loving relationships would be solely between men and women. It seems to me that commitment is the issue, and if anyone comes to me and says: ‘This is my partner; we are committed to each other’, then I don’t care what their sexuality is. I’m not going to judge; I’ll leave that to God.”

 

Read Article

I can not be completely sure that we are all talking about the same thing. No one is contending that “loving relationships” can occur between people of the same sex. I have a  loving relationship with my father, and my sons. I have loving relationships with male friends. The difference however is that this “love” does not find its expression in sex or anything remotely sexual. So surly the issue here is not the issue of “Loving Relationships”, but one of “Sexual Relationships”. That being the case I would like to address the key elements of the above comment.

 

Church to Update its View

View must be based on the Bible, not culture or political correctness

 

Gone are the days when we (church) assumed loving relationships would be solely between men and women

I am not sure that this has ever been true. From its conception the church has been VERY aware of same sex relationships. In fact the old testament shows us that the fore-runner to the church, the people of Israel (the Jewish nation) were very aware of sexual relationships between people of the same sex. The New Testament to speaks on this issue also. It is difficult to understand how the church is being asked to “update” its position because the times have changed. In fact the times of the New Testament Rome Homosexuality was rife, probably more so than now. So the churches position on this is based on similar cultural issues as today with regard to same sex relationships.  

 

It seems to me

While Sir Cliff is entitled to his opinion we must not loose site that we are created in the image of God and not the other way around. That means that we can not put our opinions on God. We need to understand Gods views, plans and laws based on the bible I believe he has provided us. Nowhere in the bible, which I believe Cliff holds dear, does it say that “commitment is all that matters”. It says that the only context for sex is within a heterosexual marriage between one man and one woman. Yes that relationship is within deep commitment, a covenant in fact, but only within the context of a heterosexual marriage.

 

I don’t care what their sexuality, I’m not going to Judge

Now on this point I totally agree. It is not our place to Judge someone. As Cliff says “Ill leave that to God”. That said the bible does give us the ability to evaluate right and wrong. Not a postmodern right and wrong, an individual right and wrong, but an absolute right and wrong. The bible is clear from beginning to end that sex is only permissible within a heterosexual marriage between one man and one woman. We can see that the actions of any individual in the sight of God that goes away from this is wrong. As Christians, or anyone else, I don’t believe we have the right to water down what the bible says as true. What we must guard against however is ostracising those that choose to live outside of the things that God says is best for us or that offend him. I believe that we should be friends with them, discuss things with them and pray that they see God for themselves. This is the only way that we can expect them to understand that what they are doing is contrary to what God wishes for them. Lets not get all out of shape over the “gay” issue. We can apply the same position to anything that we do, or don’t do, that offends God. I have done things that offend God, and before I became a christian I was quite happy doing them too. I have friends that are Gay, I have friends that are not Christians that live a life that I know offends God. I don’t judge them, I hope and pray that as I talk with them, they see that I am no better than them but my life has changed. Not because of what I have done in being “good” or anything like that but because of what God has done for me. Although I offend God and am unable to live according to the commands of the bible God himself has made away for that to change. Ihave been forgiven of all those things (and the things that I still do from time to time) and because of the message of Love that Jesus death on the cross demonstrates I have come to an understanding of God and a friendship with him. My hope and prayer is that others too can investigate the claims of Jesus and come to really understand the message of the bible.

 

Conclusion

All that said it must be plain to see that “the Church” can not possibly endorse something that is fundamentally in opposition to the very bible texts that it is based on. It would be like the vegetarian society being told that “gone are the days when we assumed that all vegetarians would not eat meat”. You would call me crazy if I told you I was a vegetarian who ate meet. So it would, in my opinion, be just as crazy for the church to endourse same sex marriage.

Come on Cliff !

Word AND Spirit

I have been thinking alot about Miracles, Healing and Signs and wonders lately and how “Balanced” I am in terms of holding both the WORD and the SPIRIT together.

If you’re not a reader then why not download this as a FREE MP3 for your iPod, or listen on line for free here.

I would consider myself to be a man of the WORD. I know it is the inspired word of God as Paul says “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Tim 3:16). I believe it to me inerrant and that it has wisdom for me in my life, conduct and my understanding of who God is and how he operates. It is a manual for the normal Christian life.

So, the question is “Am I a man of the Spirit?” As I have pondered this and prayed I believe that I am a man of the Spirit in the sense that I am not a secessionist. I believe in the power of the Holy Spirit today. Having been baptised in the Spirit and constantly seeking fresh out pouring of that every day i see evidence of the fruit of the spirit in my life. I operate in some of the spiritual gifts all in line with my understanding of the doctrines of the bible. BUT, is there something more that I am missing? …

I am fast coming to the conclusion that there is more to the Power of God than what I have experienced, and in deed much more than I have seen. I have understood in my heart and mind. I have faith, I am not cynical about miraculous healingor amazing signs and wonders and genuinely believe in them. But is there more? Can I, should I, expect to see the power of the Holy Spirit operating through me like it did in the book of Acts? Should I be expecting to EXPERIENCE the presance and POWER of the Holy Spirit not just understand it theologically and believe it by faith. Can I expect to EXPERIENCE it?

The Miracle of Jesus feeding the 5,000 men in the bible is an amazing miracle and recorded in all 4 Gospels (Matthew 14:13-18, Mark 6:30-43, Luke 9:10-17, John 6:1-14). First of all the bible only records the number of men present. We know there were women there too and children as it was a “boy” that offered his lunch that was the basis for this amazing miracle. The total number on that basis would have been nearer 12,000 or possibly more! What struck me was this. It is not impossible to break 5 loaves of bread into 12 pieces. (Mark 6:41) and then give it to the disciples. What I find so exciting was that the miracle did not take place there. It took place in the disciples hands! The miraculous provision occurred as they distributed the bread and fish to the 12,000 people. IN THEIR HANDS! Jesus was the source of the Miracle, but it occurred in the disciples hands!

I long for this! Do you? Recently I have been inspired to study more about this, and what better place to start than the book of acts. As I look at the first couple of chapters i have noticed something really exciting. Jesus told the disciples to wait and not leave the city. That’s it, just wait. Now what does “wait” mean. If my wife was going to be late home and called me to ask if I would wait up for her then my idea of waiting might be to kick off my shoes, open a bottle of wine, stitch on the TV and “wait”. I would just get on with my own thing till she eventually showed up. Now true this is waiting, but not is a pro-active sence. I was waiting in a very, very passive way. This disciples however, after Jesus ascended to heaven went, all  together, and waited. But they waited aggressively and proactively. They waited by praying and pressing into the promise that Jesus had told them about, that was prophesied by Isaiah and Joel. They were waiting and pulling down the promise of God. So when it came even though they had no idea what it would be like, they knew what it was. It was the promise!

This has really provoked me to really pray. Not a passive prayer but to get before God in serious prayer and intercession. I am happy to hear stories of Angel feathers appearing, Gold dust appearing on people as they worship, gem stones miraculously appearing, all of that … but I want to press in like the disciples did and see in “in my hands”. Not because I seek a sing from God before I believe it. I do believe it. Not to prove to me that God exists, i know that my life has been changed by his son Jesus. I jsut want to be a man of the WORD & SPIRIT. I want to understand in doctrinally, to get the theory, but I long to move in the power like Jesus did. I long to see people turning to JEsus and calling on his name and becoming Christians. I long to see the blind see, the deaf healed, the lame walking. I want to see people realised from demons and curses. I want to be a man of the word and off power through the Holy Spirit!

I preached on this at Kings Church Horsham and they have kindly made it available as a FREE MP3 for your iPod, or listen on line for free here..

After the service as the Holy Spirit came there was testimony of a lady who’s hip was healed. Many people mating with the power of God. As I get more details I will post the testimonies.

Be a Wise Builder

 The Wise Builder 

This is a great opportunity to look at the parable of the wise and foolish builders and ask ”what is the foundation that we are building on”. Is it a foundation of the finished work of Christ on the cross or one of our own good works. I also looks at how we wait for the promises of God. Are we waiting passively or are we actively working towards seeing the promises of God come about.

Listen Now (For Free)

Download MP3 for Free

My church have kindly made this teaching available FREE to either list to on-line, or to download to your iPod.